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The dynamics of globalization are leading to unprecedented movements of people, with 200 million individuals currently living in countries different to those of their place of birth. In 2005, 34 percent of those migrants were living in Europe, 23 percent in North America, 28 percent in Asia, 9 percent in Africa, just 3 percent in Latin America, and another 3 percent in Oceania. Almost half of these migrants are women. The money sent home by these migrant workers increased from $102 billion in 1995 to $232 billion in 2005 with a third of these remittances being sent to just four countries: India, China, Mexico, and France (United Nations 2009). Although millions of migrants work with documents, there are also 30 to 40 million people working without documents in foreign countries (December 18—Centro Internacional de Apoyo y Recursos sobre Derechos Humanos de los Trabajadores Migrantes 2008). Millions of refuge and asylum seekers have had to leave their home countries due to natural disasters or civil wars. In addition, thousands of seasonal workers find their rights consistently violated as a result of controls introduced by employers.

DOI: 10.1057/9781137097552_2

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